Running head: CHOICE THEORY UNLOCKING SUCCESS Choice Theory: Unlocking the Success of the “Japanese Post-War Economic Miracle” for American Companies Marcus C. Hubbard Leading Change Virtual Conference #LEADCC21 February 18-19, 2021 Author Note Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Marcus C. Hubbard, School of Strategic Leadership Studies, James Madison University, 298 Port Republic Road, MSC 1505, Harrisonburg Virginia, 22807. Email:
[email protected] CHOICE THEORY UNLOCKING SUCCESS Abstract W. Edwards Deming and William Glasser were both American born and educated scholars who have received international recognition for their work. In recognition of Deming’s positive impacts on Japanese manufacturing and business, Japan named The Deming Prize in his honor in 1951. Glasser, best known for his Reality Therapy and Choice Theory, attempted to illuminate Deming’s teaching for the American audience articulating Deming’s secrets of success through the lens of Glassers’s Choice Theory. Surprisingly, the philosophy of business leadership Glasser shared with Deming seems to have gained more traction in Japan than in the U.S. This paper provides suggestions for researching the validity and utility of Choice Theory applied to management for companies in the United States. Specifically, five suggestions are made for future research: one, a theory paper that positions Choice Theory in comparison with similar organizational leadership perspectives; two, the development of a Choice Theory Lead Management Scale; three, analyzing influences of culture; four, developing hypotheses of performance differences based on lead management practices using cross-sectional studies of existing organizations to compare outcome differences; and five, analyze effects of Choice Theory Lead Management training and coaching interventions.